


Stolen Sunrise

by bangster_12



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Drama, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:33:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23739898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bangster_12/pseuds/bangster_12
Summary: Kyungsoo knew that they will be the first to fall once the enemy invades. He just wanted to make sure his family is safe, even if it will cost him his life.Jongin will do anything to live, not matter what will happen.Two people with different ways on how to make it out alive were thrown into a life of despair and hopelessness, will they be able look past their differences and help each other to survive?
Relationships: Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Kim Jongin | Kai
Comments: 6
Kudos: 19
Collections: Kaisoo OLAO Adoption Round 1





	Stolen Sunrise

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so bad at summaries! Please don't hate on me about the summary and how the story would go. I could've just put in the summary 'this is a kaisoo war au'. Waaahhh, I'm so sorry, I'm operating in a few hours of sleep.
> 
> This was so hard to write. I'm so not used to write about stories like this.
> 
> But still I gave it a shot. And I hope it will be well.
> 
> Peace!

_The eye of the storm._

That's how Kyungsoo felt. He knew they were in the eye of the storm. The stillness before the waves. The quiet hush before the rain. The deep breath before the plunge.

The eye of the storm.

Their country was on the brink of war and they will be the first ones who will feel it. They lived near the border and he knew that when the enemy strikes, they'll be the first one who will fall.

His father was already taken from them several years ago and they never heard from him ever since. They didn't even know if he was still alive.

All able men were conscripted starting the next day and Kyungsoo already received his notice. Being the only able man in the house, he shivered in fear. His mother was frail and old, his two younger brothers can barely walk because they were sickly. It was only him and his younger sister that was keeping their family alive by taking on odd jobs.

"Everything's ready for tomorrow?" Kyungsang asked him again.

Kyungsoo nodded. They were to leave their home. He has to keep his family safe. He was not running away. He just has to bring them away from the war as possible. He should've done it long ago but he needed enough money to help his family settle down.

"Here, take this," Kyungsoo handed his sister an envelope.

"What's this?" she opened the envelope and was shocked to see so much money. "Where did you get all this money?"

"I have been saving for a while," he sighed. "Look, they will be checking our papers at the station and I know they won't allow me on board, not when I already received my notice. Take the train. Take everyone with you and don't stop. Don't look back."

"Soo…"

"Sang," he held his sister's hand. It might be the last time he'll be able to hold it. "It will be okay. Just get away from here as possible. There's a name in that envelope. Find that man and he will help you."

Kyungsang can't help it. She pulled and embraced her brother. "You'll come with us. You're coming with us."

"I can't. You know I can't. I can only accompany you to the station."

"No," she hugged him tighter and cried on his shoulder. They were close despite the difference in their personalities. Kyungsang was headstrong and fierce while Kyungsoo was…not. They have been doing everything together since they were kids.

Kyungsang can't imagine a life without her brother. "Come to us then. Come back safely. Come back and find us."

Kyungsoo held on. He knew it was hopeless. He knew he was going to die the moment he received his conscription notice. It was like he received a death warrant.

"Don't cry," he let go of his sister and wiped her tears. "It's going to be a long day tomorrow."

_Gunshots._

He woke up to gunshots.

And screams.

Someone yanked him up from his bed roughly and he fell to the floor hard. Someone was yelling. He was too disoriented to know what was happening.

"SOO! SOO!"

"KYUNGSANG!" Kyungsoo shouted, trying to crawl from the floor, trying to focus his eyes.

There were several yelling. He can hear his mother and his brothers' cries mixing with the screams.

Then gunshots. And more gunshots.

Someone pulled him up to his feet but then he felt something hard hit his gut and he doubled over in pain, vomiting whatever was left in his stomach. Someone grabbed his collar and roughly pulled him out of the house and into the cold ground outside.

He shivered. The cold was biting into his skin. His hands were scraped from falling into the ground. He tried to look around and search for his family but his head was spinning and his stomach hurt like hell. He tried to stand. He saw several people were also in the same state as him, some even worse. He looked for his family but he can't see them.

Someone was shouting again and this time, Kyungsoo can finally understand.

Their enemies. They were speaking a different language from them but Kyungsoo can understand them since he had studied their language. It had helped him in his mining work before the war got worse.

Their enemies had crossed the borders. They were shouting for men to be brought forward and for the women and children to be sent to the trucks.

Gunshots rang and bodies fell. Those who opposed were immediately shot.

Kyungsoo brought his hands behind his head and several others followed him, showing complete surrender. There was less shouting now and less pushing. He heard that everyone was already accounted for and that they should leave before the troops arrived.

They were instructed to follow a separate truck and they will be shot if they will not obey.

Kyungsoo got up to his feet and followed the instructions.

He looked back. Their house was burning. Everything was burning. Dead bodies were left to rot on the ground. There was nothing left to go back to now. He has to move forward now. He has to move forward to his death.

_It was suffocating._

They were like sardines in a can the way they were being transported.

Jongin doesn't know where they were being taken. He just knew that they've been in transport for two days. Two days since they've eaten and drank.

He was serving active duty for just a few months when his troops were captured by the enemies. He thought he was going to die right there and then but they weren't killed. Instead, they were being transferred to where the hell they were being brought.

The truck finally stopped and he can hear the familiar yelling. None of them understood what they were saying as their translator was killed in combat.

They filed out from the truck and Jongin's legs ached. He has never been more grateful for being able to stand. The metal cuffs on his hands and feet were starting to get itchy and he wondered if it will be taken out now that they have arrived.

He looked around and tried to see if he could identify where they were but it was too dark. He was pushed as he was holding the line and Jongin followed in.

They were lead to a fenced facility.

"Concentration camp," Jongin heard Private Park whispering. "They've taken us to a concentration camp."

Jongin looked at the tall barb-wired fences as they entered the gate. Heavily armed security was standing by with snipers on each tower of the camp.

"Are they going to kill us here?"

"What difference does it make?" Jongin whispered back.

"I don't want to die on enemy land!"

"Not like we have a choice, Park," Jongin said.

He doesn't want to die in enemy land too. He doesn't want to die, period.

He promised. He will escape. And he will find his family back again. And he will do anything to make it happen.

_"Next!"_

The line shuffled forward and Jongin was pushed harshly down the table. Half of his body was held down by two men as another one pulled down his collar to expose his neck.

"What are you doing?!" Jongin tried to escape from the people holding him down. "Let go of me!"

There was an angry shouting and something hard fell on Jongin's back. Jongin blacked out for a few seconds because of the pain. His vision was blurry but he can see a metal rod being taken from a fire.

"NO! NO!" Jongin screamed as he felt something hot being pressed into his skin. The process was repeated and Jongin wanted to vomit because of the pain.

The hands holding him let him go and Jongin slid down to the floor. A swift kick hit his gut and Jongin vomited. He was yanked from the ground and was pushed into another line.

Someone was holding Jongin up. He was grateful to who it was.

_Light peeking._

Kyungsoo woke up to the light peeking through the crack on the wall and hitting his eyes. But instead of moving, Kyungsoo stared into the light. It provided little warmth from the cold floor he was laying down together with dozens of men. Kyungsoo reached out to the crack, reached out to the light.

He found it funny how he had taken such things for granted. He found it funny how a simple sunrise can now be a luxury for him. They had been in camp for a week now, so far as Kyungsoo can count. And the entire time, they were just inside awaiting what little food and water they were provided twice a day.

The wooden doors opened and some loud banging rang.

_"Up you useless bastards!"_

Kyungsoo looked up and saw the enemy soldiers barreling inside and pulling up anyone they can reach roughly. If you're not fast enough, it was either a foot or the butt of the rifle that would be waking you up.

Kyungsoo was already up when the soldiers reached where he was and he was holding his breath as they passed. Then they were ordered to go forward and out of the shelter.

Kyungsoo squinted in the light and so were the several others. He looked around to know where they were but he wasn't familiar with the forest he was seeing. He deduced that they may be in enemy territory now.

In the near shelters, prisoners also started to come out.

"Soo."

Kyungsoo turned around and he almost cried in relief upon seeing one of his friends.

"Jongdae!" he wanted to hug his friend but he didn't want to draw attention to them.

Jongdae was in a worse state than Kyungsoo. One of Jongdae's eyes was swollen shut and there was a huge cut on his lips. Kyungsoo reached up and pulled at Jongdae's collar. A number was also tattooed in his neck.

_21_

Kyungsoo thought that the enemies might've branded them. He also got a number seared into his skin.

_12_

"What did they do to you?" Kyungsoo held his friend's hands tightly.

"They killed my parents in front of me," Jongdae was shaking in anger. "I punched one of them before they got to me. I thought they wanted to kill me. I was ready to die."

"Dae…I'm so sorry."

"How about you? Do you know where your family is?"

Kyungsoo shook his head. "I don't know. When I woke up they were already being pulled towards the trucks. I don't know if they're still alive or…Jongdae, I'm scared."

"Everyone is scared, Kyungsoo."

"What will they do to us?" Kyungsoo asked.

It was Jongdae's turn to shake his head. "I don't know. All I know is that they are grouping able bodies into this camp. I've seen even some prisoners who were wearing military uniforms."

"What? They managed to capture some of our soldiers?"

Jongdae grimly nodded. "As far as we know, there was a unilateral agreement for a ceasefire but we really can't trust our enemies to follow it, huh?"

"What will they do to us?" Kyungsoo asked again.

"Maybe we'll know. You can still understand them, right? You still know to speak their language?"

Kyungsoo nodded and looked around to check if someone was listening in on them. He doesn't want anyone knowing that he can understand what the enemies were saying.

"They haven't said anything yet. They're just barking orders at us and repeatedly telling us that they will shoot us if we don't follow them immediately."

"Where have they taken us?" Jongdae looked around as they were now being ordered to follow the soldiers ahead of them. "These trees don't look like our forests."

"I know. I believe they have taken us to their territory," Kyungsoo said. "But the ceasefire has already ended, right? If I'm not mistaken, we have been here for a week. The ceasefire ended two days ago. So that's the only time when our soldiers will know that our village has already been taken. They may send a rescue."

"There will be no rescue for us, Soo," Jongdae said. "We are all on our own now."

_Pain._

Jongin's neck was still throbbing in pain. He was thankful that Chanyeol was tall as he was able to see his friend amongst the crowd.

"Chanyeol!"

"Jongin!" Chanyeol was so relieved seeing that his friend was okay. "Oh my God, you're okay."

Jongin saw the mark on Chanyeol's neck. It was the number '61'.

"They've branded us?" Jongin asked as he felt his neck for his own mark. "What does mine say?"

"Eighty-eight," Chanyeol replied. "I think they numbered us so it would be easy for them to account for us."

"What do they need us for?"

"I don't know," Chanyeol said. "But whatever it is, I hope it would be long enough until our troops will come and rescue us."

"Where are we going?" Jongin asked.

"I don't know."

"What are these fuckers saying?"

"I don't know."

"Stop saying I don't know."

"I don't know what to tell you other than I don't know," Chanyeol sighed.

"Have you learned anything?"

"A little," Chanyeol lowered his voice to almost a whisper, a skill he had mastered over time and came in handy. "There are almost two hundred of us held captive here. We were the second batch to arrive closely followed by the rest. The first batch who arrived here had been here for a week. They lived in the village we were supposed to check."

Jongin cursed. He knew the ceasefire was a sham. He knew their enemy would never honor it. Now they were too late to save the village.

"Have you found out what they want us to do here?" Jongin asked.

"No…but I'm guessing since they're further leading us to the forest, they're going to kill us?"

Jongin looked up. The skies were no longer visible as it was already covered by trees.

"How outnumbered are we?"

"Jongin, don't."

"I'm just asking."

"There are only fifty soldiers stationed at this camp."

"Fifty? Versus two hundred of us?"

"Yes, two hundred hungry, weakened and dispirited captives versus fifty well-fed, well-rested, well-trained and well-armed soldiers. Look at some of the prisoners, they looked like they will be blown by a breeze. Our enemies would easily decimate our numbers."

"I was just asking," Jongin shrugged.

"I know you, Private Kim," Chanyeol said. "Whatever you are thinking, don't do it."

They were suddenly halted and soldiers came rushing forward separating the captives.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know," Chanyeol craned his neck to see clearly. "They're dividing the prisoners and being handed…shovels?"

"Shovels?" Jongin tried to tip-toe to also see what's going on. "Oh crap, Park. Now I know what they want us to do."

_Tired._

Kyungsoo's arms were already shaking from picking at the rocky ground the entire day. They were only able to rest for about ten minutes just to eat the measly food given to them and then they were ordered back to resume the job. He can no longer feel the strength in his arms.

"Soo."

"Jongdae," Kyungsoo looked around to see if someone spotted them. Jongdae was pulled to the shoveling group and they weren't allowed to transfer unless ordered to.

"The soldiers who were brought here, they were the ones who were supposed to protect the village. But their intelligence got the date wrong that's why they were late."

"Dae, there's nothing much we can do about that," Kyungsoo said. "It already happened."

"I know. But these soldiers, they know what happened to the other people who came from our village," Jongdae said.

Kyungsoo almost dropped his pick. "What?"

"I heard that the reason why they proceeded to the village ahead of schedule even if they were still grossly misinformed was because they saw unusual movement near where they camped. They were able to see the rest of the villagers before they were caught."

"So you mean to say…"

"They might've seen your family."

Kyungsoo almost wanted to weep. That was the first good news that he had received and it actually lifted his spirits. He's still not sure whether his family was alive but at least there's a chance that they might be alive.

"Do you know…do you know whom I can ask about it?"

"His name is Kim Jongin," Jongdae whispered. "Number 88," he gestured towards the neck.

"Okay, thanks Dae. Now go back to your post or you'll be in trouble."

"What's the worse they can do to me? Kill me? That's actually the best that they can do for me."

"Don't say that, Dae," Kyungsoo said. He can't begin to imagine the pain that his friend might be feeling for losing his parents in front of him. "We'll get out of here, I promise you that. We'll get out of here and then we'll look for my family and make a new start, okay?"

Jongdae's eyes shone. He may have acted tough but he was just as scared as anyone. "Promise?"

"I promise," Kyungsoo smiled at him, hoping to uplift his friend's spirits. "So go back to your post, okay? If we have to make it out here alive, we need to do it together, understand?"

"Okay. Thanks, Soo. You're the only thing keeping me sane around here."

"Same, Dae. Same."

It was already night time when they were ordered back to camp. Kyungsoo was bone tired. He thought working in the mines might've helped him but the only difference was that they weren't given time to rest now.

Kyungsoo looked up when he saw a commotion ahead. A captive was being pulled to the side. He was wearing a soldier's uniform. Their soldier's uniform.

The captive was being reprimanded for being nosy and for asking the other captives questions.

Kyungsoo had passed them by and the captive soldier wasn't budging down, he was even taunting the enemies.

_"STOP!"_

Kyungsoo was shocked by what he's done. All eyes were on him as he approached them.

_"WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?! KEEPING MOVING!"_

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Kyungsoo muttered to the captured soldier.

"No. Are you?" the soldier replied.

_"You know to speak our language?"_

Two rifles were pointed at Kyungsoo's chest. Kyungsoo took a shuddering breath before he raised both hands up.

 _"Little. Broken. Understood little,"_ Kyungsoo tried to be convincing.

_"Then tell your comrade here how he wants to die!"_

The rifle shifted towards the person beside him. Kyungsoo saw his fellow captive hasn't raised his hands in surrender yet. Kyungsoo pulled at his hands and forced him to raise them.

"What are you doing?" the other person protested.

"Keeping you alive," Kyungsoo replied back. _"Sorry. He not understand. He not know. He stupid."_

The two soldiers pointing their rifles at them sniggered.

_"Yeah, he looked like a stupid ass. Be thankful I am in a good mood. Move along before I changed my mind."_

Kyungsoo immediately reached for the stranger's hand and pulled him back to the line of prisoners.

"What did you tell them?" the stranger asked.

"Does it matter? What matters is that you're alive," Kyungsoo said.

"You can understand and speak their language?"

"Sshh. Don't go announcing it!"

"You have a skill that can help us! Why are you hiding it?!"

"I'm trying to stay alive!" Kyungsoo hissed. "If you have a death wish, fine. Go ahead. I won't stop you anymore. But taunting those soldiers? With so many captives in their sight? Do you think they'll stop after shooting you? These people don't care about us. To them we're dispensable. So before you do anything rash, think of your surroundings. Some of us want to live too."

Kyungsoo sped up after he said his piece. He just prayed that the two soldiers he talked to were stupid enough not to remember his face.

_He wondered._

Jongin took his spot on the floor and wondered why Chanyeol was not back yet. Most of the people from the shoveling group weren't back yet.

His mind went back to the stranger who saved him and his words hit him. Jongin has the tendency to provoke the worst of people and his hotheadedness was not helping either. If the stranger had not come, he might've been dead. And he might've brought other people with him.

The wooden doors creaked open and the remaining prisoners walked in. Jongin immediately realized something was wrong by seeing their faces. He immediately got up and looked for his friend. He sighed loudly in relief when he spotted the top of Chanyeol's head.

"What happened?" Jongin asked in a hushed tone.

Chanyeol shook his head as he glanced at the soldiers by the door. Jongin understood and pulled his friend to their spots. Only when the doors closed that Chanyeol finally let out a pained sound.

Chanyeol was crying.

"Hey, hey. Private Park. What happened?" Jongin asked. When he looked down, he saw Park's uniform was bloodied. "Shit, what did they do to you?" Jongin pulled at his friend's clothes and was relieved to find no wound on him.

"It's not my blood," Chanyeol sniffled.

"What happened?"

"Some…some…" Chanyeol tried to steady his breath. "Some of the captives thought they could take on the soldiers. I tried to talk them out of it but they wouldn't listen. When we were walking back to camp, they attempted to stage a riot. They were quickly overpowered and they were shot on the spot," Chanyeol closed his eyes. He can still hear the screams of the fallen captives. "Then they started shooting other captives. I thought I was going to die. They stopped when one of their comrades came to stop them. I was so close to dying, Jongin. I don't want to die here."

Jongin can only watch as his friend cried. Chanyeol was his friend during his trainee days and though he was the tallest and the biggest, he has the softest heart.

Jongin was reminded again of what transpired a while ago. He was so close to instigating a riot. He might've died. And he might've caused other people's death too.

"It's going to be okay, Chanyeol."

"It's not going to be okay, Jongin. You know that."

"You're right," Jongin admitted. Their future looked bleaker as the seconds passed. "But we'll get out of here, Chanyeol. I promise you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. We will get out of here and return home. I'm sure your mama would be waiting for us with a delicious meal while your sister will play the piano."

Chanyeol nodded as he let the sleepiness take over.

"Sweet dreams, my friend."

_Too early._

Kyungsoo thought he barely had any sleep at all when they were being roused for the day. He was a little disoriented since it was still dark outside. He heard the guards barking orders at them, telling them they were ordered to start the day early.

Kyungsoo was half-asleep as they trudged the dark and rocky road. It was SOP for him to look for Jongdae since they weren't housed in the same shelter. He had a moment of panic when he couldn't find him. He heard that a bunch of captives was gunned down the other day and he hoped and prayed that Jongdae wasn't one of them.

He finally let out a breath of relief when he saw Jongdae yawning and waving at him. He waved back.

Kyungsoo still doesn't know what they were doing further in the forest but Kyungsoo just realized that they might be in the mountains because he took a pause to admire the sunrise peeking through the forest.

Oh, how long he wanted to feel the sun's heat on his skin.

_"FASTER!"_

The people were bumping unto him. Everyone around him looked dead.

Kyungsoo immediately sat on the ground the moment he heard the whistle ordering them to stop for the day. From what he was seeing, they seemed to be digging a tunnel.

Kyungsoo's eyes widened in realization.

"Soo."

"Fuck, Jongdae! You scared me!"

"More scared than already being here?" Jongdae sat down beside him. "I met the guy I mentioned to you about."

"Really?"

"Yes. And he said he did witness the transfer but he won't know if he hasn't seen pictures of your family. Do you have pictures of your family?"

"No," Kyungsoo replied but he reached out to the notebook he kept in his pockets. "But I have sketches of them."

"You sketched them?"

Kyungsoo nodded as he gazed at the drawings of his family's faces. Will he be able to see them again?

"It will help me not to forget their faces."

"Well, you did good," Jongdae was impressed with the likeness of the drawings to the real faces of Kyungsoo's family. "We'll meet them when we walk back to camp tonight."

"Okay. Thanks, Dae."

_He can never forget a face._

Jongin's body ached so much. They were already able to dig a hole and Jongin was itching to get a hold of any communication device so that he can warn his own comrades.

"Guys."

Someone interrupted his thoughts. When he turned, it was the same guy who had been asking him questions non-stop a while ago. And beside him was none other than the stranger who saved him yesterday.

Both their eyes widened with realization.

"He's the one I told you about," Jongdae told him. "Soo, he's Jongin. Number 88."

"You?"

"Yep," Jongin answered.

"You know each other?" Chanyeol asked.

"No," both Jongin and Kyungsoo answered.

Jongdae looked at them in confusion. "Well, anyway. So yeah. He's the one I told you about."

"Is it true you met some of the families that were displaced?" Kyungsoo asked.

"Briefly. I just met them briefly," Jongin clarified.

Kyungsoo showed him his drawings. "It's not much but maybe perhaps you have seen them?"

Jongin took the notebook and didn't respond at first since a guard just passed them. When it was safe, Jongin took a peek at the drawings. Then he returned it.

"Yeah...yeah I think I saw this girl. But I'm not sure. Like I said, I only met some of them briefly."

Kyungsoo's heart rejoiced. At least he knew now that his sister is still alive. "Would you know what happened to the families who were put there?"

"I'm not sure but all I know is they separated able men here to dig the tunnel then they placed the women in town."

"And the children? What of the children?" Kyungsoo asked as his heart pounded hard in his chest as he waited for an answer.

"Children have no place in a war."

A breath was knocked out of Kyungsoo. He felt like someone kicked him in the gut. His brothers. His younger brothers.

"Soo," Jongdae held him upright.

"Is he okay?" Chanyeol asked.

"He has younger brothers," Jongdae explained.

Jongin grimly nodded.

_The pain of loss._

Kyungsoo lied awake on the cold floor as he cried for his brothers. So young and innocent. If what Jongin said was true, then Kyungsoo has lost his brothers. He just prayed that his sister and mother are not in a worse state than him somehow.

Kyungsoo was concentrating on the task on hand when suddenly he was yanked by his collar and was thrown to the ground.

_"This him?"_

_"Yes, that's him."_

_"Bring him to camp."_

One of the soldiers grabbed Kyungsoo by the hair and pulled him up. Then he was prodded by a rifle to march forward. He caught glimpse of Jongdae's worried face but Kyungsoo just shook his head at him.

They reached into one of the offices in camp and Kyungsoo was harshly pushed forward inside that he fell to the wooden floor. Kyungsoo gasped hard as he saw a dead body beside him. The person was shot in the head.

_"Stand up."_

Kyungsoo slowly stood up but retained his gaze down low.

_"My men said that you can understand us. Am I correct?"_

_"Y-Yes. A-A l-little,"_ Kyungsoo stammered.

_"Good."_

The man in the seat before him waved a paper at him.

_"Translate this. Our translator was killed in route here. We need to know what it says."_

Kyungsoo tentatively took the paper. He kept glancing at the dead body on the floor.

_"Don't mind him. My men will come in and take him away so don't worry. Now translate that to our language."_

Kyungsoo's hand shook. _"G-G-Gulf Two h-has fallen. T-two hundred strong. M-Mountains_."

_"That's all?"_

Kyungsoo nodded.

_"So the bastard really was a spy. I would've felt remorse had I shot him for the wrong reason. Anyway, he was pissing me off so no harm done. How about you? Are you a spy?"_

_"N-No!"_

Two soldiers immediately held his hands and groped his pockets. They took his notebook.

_"Aha. What is this?"_

The officer flipped on the pages.

_"M-My n-notebook, sir. I d-draw f-faces of m-my family so that I w-won't forget them."_

The officer was satisfied but he kept the notebook.

_"Aw, don't worry, prisoner. Soon you'll be allowed to town maybe then you'll see your family there."_

_"R-Really?"_

_"Why yes! Do you think we're barbarians? We value family above all! If you people in the camp will be good, then you will be allowed to go there!"_

Kyungsoo doesn't know if the officer was telling the truth or not but he'll take whatever hope he will be given.

"What did they want?"

Kyungsoo was startled upon hearing someone talked. He was deep in thought as he was digging. He looked beside him to see Jongin digging not a few feet away from him.

"Don't look at me. Just continue what you were doing and talk," Jongin had instructed him.

"They found a spy."

"A what?"

"A spy."

"There was a spy?"

"Yes."

"How did they found out?"

"I don't know. He was already dead when I arrived. They found…they found a letter with him."

"What letter?" Jongin asked.

"Was your troop called Gulf Two?"

"Yeah. How did you know?"

"The spy indicated it in his letter."

"What did his letter say?"

"It said… Gulf Two has fallen. Two hundred strong. Mountains. Do they mean anything to you?" Kyungsoo asked.

Jongin shook his head. "But I understand what he was trying to say. Perhaps our military is unsure of what happened to our troop so that's why he said that 'gulf two has fallen', meaning that the troop is in enemy hands. 'Two hundred strong' meant that there are two hundred people being held captive."

"And the 'mountains' refer to where we are now."

Jongin nodded. "And now they know that you can understand them. Were you scared?"

"Very. But I have good news."

"Wow, there's good news in all of this?"

"Yes. The officer who called for me told me that they will allow us to go to town."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He said if we made good progress on the tunnel, if the camp would behave, he'll allow us to go to town."

"And you believed him?"

"What's the harm in believing him?"

"The harm is you're are deluding yourself!" Jongin told him.

"Jongin, I'd rather that I'm deluding myself rather than drowning myself in desolation."

"So what? If they say you jump you're going to ask them how high?"

"I'm going to clap while I'm at it if that would entertain them."

"That's treachery. You're turning yourself over to the enemy."

"No, Jongin. I'm not. I just need to know if my family is safe. I don't care what happens to me. I just need to know they're safe."

It was still dark outside when Kyungsoo roused. A guard already has a rifle on him the moment he opened the door.

_"Where are you going?"_

_"I am going to start early,"_ Kyungsoo told him. _"You all wanted us to finish early than expected. I will work early."_

The guard looked at his companion who just shrugged.

_"Let him. He can't escape anyway. And he gets lost, then the wolves will feast."_

The two guards laughed as Kyungsoo left for the tunnel site.

Kyungsoo paused again on the same spot that he saw the sunrise. He waited and waited until it finally came. Kyungsoo looked up when someone else joined him.

"How did you get past the guards?"

"I heard what you told them," Jongin replied. "I only parroted it on them. I may have been convincing since they let me go."

They were quiet as they watched the sunrise which was still obscured by trees.

"My mother always told me that no matter where I'll go, I'll always get into trouble."

"And why is that?"

Jongin shrugged. "I guess I always let my head rule my heart. I'm a problem solver. I'm quick to think of solutions. But I'm slow to see its repercussions."

"Hmm."

"And you're the exact opposite."

"I am?" Kyungsoo turned to him.

"You are," Jongin replied. "You let your heart get the best of you first. You're intelligent, you're skilled but they don't matter because you always use your heart first."

"You're saying that as if that's a bad thing."

"Because that will most likely get you killed," Jongin told him. "Jumping to save a stranger. Doing everything to see your family. Lying to come here early…you are at the right place just not at the right time."

Kyungsoo turned his attention back to the sunrise.

"So which one of us is right?" he asked.

"I don't know," Jongin said. "Maybe whoever dies first is the right one."

Kyungsoo chuckled.

"Why are you up so early by the way?"

"I want to see the sunrise."

"What now?"

"Sunrise," Kyungsoo repeated.

"What about them?"

"I never saw one properly before. And it reminds me of hope. God knows we badly need that."

_Passed._

Weeks had already passed and Kyungsoo thought that maybe Jongin was right, he shouldn't have believed the officer when he was told that they may be allowed to go to town.

He told Jongin about this in one of their early morning rendezvous. They have been looking for a spot where they can clearly see the sunrise but so far they haven't found one yet.

"Don't be like that."

"Don't be what?" Kyungsoo asked him.

"Be desolate and pessimistic," Jongin answered. "That's my role. Your role is to be cheerful and be positive."

Kyungsoo shook his head at Jongin's antics.

They have been meeting in every early morning and sometimes Chanyeol and Jongdae would join them. Sometimes they would invite other people just not to create suspicion.

"Soo!"

"Dae!" Kyungsoo hissed. "I told you to be discreet!"

"Sorry, I just got excited!" Jongdae said.

"What is it?"

"They're finally allowing us to the town!"

"What? Really?"

"Yes! I got the gist of the guards' conversations, I mean I'm still learning their language but apparently, this one guard was complaining to the other guard since he was being assigned to accompany the prisoners to town!"

"That's great news Dae!"

"Kyungsoo!"

"Chanyeol, don't be loud!" Kyungsoo almost shouted but the expression on Chanyeol's face made his heart dropped. "Oh no. Where's Jongin?"

"They've taken him!"

Kyungsoo ran back towards camp, shouting at the guards that he had the translations ready for the officer in charge of the camp. The truth was, Kyungsoo was given the task to translate that letters that were intercepted by their enemies but Kyungsoo had stalled. Because Jongin was right, Kyungsoo was helping his enemies. And he didn't want that.

Kyungsoo bit back a cry when he was ushered inside the office. Jongin was on his knees with a gun to his head.

_"Ah, perfect timing. You're about to witness something incredible. You see, this guy right here is rallying people to rebel towards the camp guards. Now, he's about to find out what we do to people like him."_

_"I have the letters!"_ Kyungsoo held up the stack of letters higher in his hands. _"I have translated them."_

_"Good. Then I'll read them after I take care of this rebel."_

_"I didn't write them,"_ Kyungsoo said.

_"What?"_

_"I didn't write them. I can recite to you the translations as I didn't write them."_

_"Smart. You know how to bargain. You know your worth. I like that. If half of my people are like you, then I would've been promoted a long time ago. Okay, I'll hear them when I'm done with this."_

_"You will not kill him!"_

_"What?"_

_"I won't tell you the translations of these letters if you will kill him."_

A cruel smile formed on the officer's face.

_"What an interesting development this is. Is he your lover?"_

Kyungsoo stood his ground and didn't answer. The officer nodded to the soldier holding a gun to Jongin's head and the soldier pointed his gun to Kyungsoo.

_"I could kill you both and be done with it."_

_"Then you'll never hear the translations. What if there's something important in all of these letters?"_

_"Is there?"_

_"That's your job to find out."_

The officer laughed. He admired the prisoner's bravery.

_"I like you. I really like you. Oh boy, you do know how to drive a hard bargain."_

The officer walked back to his chair and took a seat. The soldier lowered his gun and stepped back.

_"How many letters are there?"_

_"Nine."_

_"Hmm…okay, I promise I will not kill your lover. But you didn't say anything about hurting him. He will receive continuous beating while you translate the letters for me. So you better do it fast, lover boy."_

Kyungsoo helped Jongin leaned on the wall. They were both placed in isolation after Kyungsoo has read the letters.

"You should've left me alone, Kyungsoo. You've provided them vital information," Jongin said. His voice was weak as he was beaten badly.

"I couldn't just let you die."

"Why? Because I'm your lover?"

"Aren't you?"

"Aren't you supposed to court me first?"

Despite their situation, Kyungsoo still managed to chuckle. Kyungsoo moved to sit beside Jongin on the floor and held Jongin's bruised hands.

"I told you to stop recruiting people."

"I was not recruiting people," Jongin said. "I just asked them if they wanted freedom."

Kyungsoo shook his head. He took something from his pockets and gave it to Jongin.

"What's this?"

"I want you to keep this for me."

"What for?"

"We will be allowed to go to town in a few days' time and I want to give that notebook to my sister whenever I find her in town. But if I'm always going to be at the devil's office, he'll confiscate that. So can you hold on to that for me?"

"Okay. I will."

"I so wanted to kiss you right now."

"No one's stopping you."

"Your lips are swollen. I can barely understand the words coming out of your mouth."

"You can still kiss me."

"No."

"Come on. I almost died today."

"We almost died today."

"Then all the more reason that we should kiss. This could be our last," Jongin teased him. "Come on, grant a dead man's wish."

Kyungsoo just stared at him. Despite swollen face, Jongin was still the most handsome man he has ever seen. Kyungsoo finally leaned in until his lips touched Jongin's.

Jongin pulled Kyungsoo close, to kiss him more, to feel him more. But he groaned at the pain when he moved.

"I told you," Kyungsoo gently pushed him away.

Jongin leaned back his head on the wall and gazed at the tiny window of the room.

"Will we be okay? Can we survive this?" Jongin asked after a while.

"Where's that guy who always boast that we will get through this?"

Jongin pulled at their intertwined hands and kissed Kyungsoo's hands. "That time in the devil's office…when I thought I was about to die and then you came. I just thought…I was so scared."

"Of dying?"

Jongin nodded. "I'm so scared of dying and not being able to take you out on a proper date. Not being able to kiss you. To touch you. To make love to you. Not being able to introduce you to my family. Not being able to be introduced to your family. The places we could've visited. The sunrises we could've witnessed. The family we could've started."

Kyungsoo choked up. Being with Jongin in the morning as they wait for the sunrise has been the highlight of Kyungsoo's day in the hopelessness of his life. He would always look forward to the sunrise because not only will it bring him a new day and new hope, it will also bring him Jongin.

"I found the perfect spot to see the sunrise."

"You did?" Jongin asked. "Where?"

"There's a small path at the left side of the tunnel we dug. Follow the path and it will lead you to a small hill. You can't miss it."

"So we can watch a proper sunrise now?"

"Yeah. When we're out of isolation tomorrow, let's meet there? I already told Jongdae and Chanyeol too."

"Okay," Jongin kissed Kyungsoo's hand again.

"And Jongin?"

"Yeah?"

"It will be okay. This will be all over soon."

Jongin searched Kyungsoo's eyes and he can see hope and so much love. He smiled. "This will be all over soon."

Kyungsoo leaned again to kiss Jongin then he crawled over to Jongin's lap.

"What are you doing?"

"We don't have to wait for this to be over to make love," Kyungsoo said. "Can you be quiet?" he asked as he reached for Jongin's belt.

"Kyungsoo…"

_Dark._

It was still dark when the isolation room opened and harsh orders were being barked at them. It was good that Jongin and Kyungsoo decided not to get naked while doing it since it would've been awkward for the guards when they see them.

Kyungsoo and Jongin were both wrenched apart.

"Hey, careful!" Jongin said.

Kyungsoo was able to get free of his guards and he ran to Jongin and hugged him.

"I'll see you in sunrise, okay?"

"Okay," Jongin whispered back.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Kyungsoo was being roughly pulled towards the door and in the opposite direction.

"Where are you taking him?" Jongin called as he fought against his captors' hold.

"It's okay, Jongin. The devil received an intercepted letter and he just wants it to be translated urgently," Kyungsoo said amidst the guards barking orders at him.

That seemed to calm Jongin down.

 _I'll see you_ , Kyungsoo mouthed at him.

_See you._

Jongin paced on the spot the Kyungsoo had told him. He was right. The place was perfect to witness the sunrise. But it worried him that Kyungsoo has still not arrived.

Jongin was startled when there was a loud noise. Chanyeol emerged from the small path.

"Chanyeol?"

"Oh thank god! Jongin! I've been looking all over for you! Then I remembered that Kyungsoo wants us to meet here!" Chanyeol went and proceeded to embrace Jongin and sobbed in his shoulders. "It's over! We're free! We're free!"

"What?" Jongin was a little stunned. He can't quite comprehend what Chanyeol was saying.

"Our troops came marching in," Chanyeol said as he wiped his tears.

"We're free?"

"Yes! The troops have overtaken the camp and –"

"Kyungsoo!"

Jongin and Chanyeol looked over to see Jongdae stumbling on the path.

"Jongdae?"

"Kyungsoo? Where's Kyungsoo?" Jongdae panted. "I looked all over for him in the camp but I can't find him!"

Dread started to grow in Jongin's chest.

"How…how did the troops find us?" Jongin asked. His chest ached as he waited for the answer.

"Apparently it was the enemy who led them to where we are. Our enemies apparently walked into a trap. Can you believe it?" Chanyeol was ecstatic.

"Jongin, where's Kyungsoo?" Jongdae asked.

Jongin's mind was reeling. He tried to recall what Kyungsoo was reading the other day. The translations he made. 

Kyungsoo's didn't translate the letter.

He set a trap for the enemies.

And their enemies found out about it.

"No!"

Jongin ran as fast as he can with Jongdae and Chanyeol hot on his heels. He burst through the camp's office to see their own comrades investigating the place.

Jongin looked down and saw fresh blood. He walked a little further and just behind the table was Kyungsoo's body.

"NO!"

Jongin threw himself towards Kyungsoo and pulled him towards him. Kyungsoo received several gunshots to the chest and one to the head.

"NO!"

"KYUNGSOO!"

Jongdae crawled towards where Jongin was weeping over Kyungsoo's body.

"Sir, we will be asking you to leave!" one of the soldiers spoke. But a high-ranking official stopped him and silently ordered his men to exit the room.

Chanyeol joined Jongin and Jongdae on the floor as they wept for Kyungsoo.

**_E P I L O G U E_ **

Jongin was picking at the cover of the notebook that Kyungsoo had told him to keep for his sister. He was also able to retrieve the notebook that was confiscated from him. The one which held his family's sketches. It has already been half a year since his death and it was only recently that the war has finally ended. 

They won the war. But have they really? Can someone really win in a war?

Lives were still lost. Loved ones will never return.

Nothing will ever be the same again.

He was finally able to track down Kyungsoo's family and he asked for his sister to meet. To finally give her the notebook he wanted to give her.

"Lieutenant Kim?"

Jongin looked up to see a woman nervously smiling at him.

"Miss Do," Jongin stood up and pulled the chair for her.

"Thank you," she said as she said. "Please, call me Kyungsang."

Jongin sat back down. "My name is Jongin."

"Yes. You said in your letter," Kyungsang said.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Jongin choked up at the words. Half a year and he still can't accept the truth of it.

"Thank you," she said. "You said that you have something for me?"

"Yes," Jongin said. He pushed the notebooks towards her. "Your brother asked me to give you this."

Kyungsang recognized the notebooks. It was her brother's passion, sketching. And she had gifted him those notebooks. Her brother had always treasured it, always keeping it in his pockets wherever he goes. She flipped on the first notebook and she wasn't able to hold back her tears as she saw her brother's sketches. Her hand glided over the pages, wanting to feel the way her brother's hand moved over those pages. She closed the notebook and opened the other one. It didn't contain a drawing or a sketch.

"You said you met my brother at the concentration camp he was placed in?" Kyungsang asked as she closed the notebook.

"Yes. Your brother has saved me more than once. I owe my life to him," Jongin said.

"Hmm," Kyungsang reached for her bag and took out a small box. "This was delivered to us recently," she pushed the box to Jongin.

Jongin opened it and inside was the Medal of Honor.

"They said that my brother did great honor to his country and his countrymen," Kyungsang sniffled. "My mother didn't want to accept it. She lost all the men in her life to the war. Her husband. Her sons. She said she doesn't want it. I want you to have it."

"Why?"

"Because I know my brother would prefer it," Kyungsang said. She took one of the notebooks and stood. "Thank you for making my brother happy, Lt. Kim."

"Wait, you left one of the notebooks," Jongin picked up the notebook.

"That notebook is not for me," Kyungsang smiled. "It's for you."

It's exactly been a year since Kyungsoo's passing. Jongin returned to the place where they were supposed to meet. He had wanted to invite Chanyeol and Jongdae with him but he decided he wanted this time alone with Kyungsoo. He brought wine and Kyungsoo's favorite food. Jongin asked Kyungsang for her brother's favorite food. It was still dark and Jongin was waiting for the sunrise. And when it finally came, it was only then that he poured the wine on the ground.

Jongin sat back and watched the sunrise. Then he reached for his bag and took out the notebook. He hasn't opened it since he had received it. He didn't think he was ready. He didn't think it was time.

But now, he was.

_Dear Jongin,_

_I'm sorry. You were right and I was wrong. My heart will eventually lead me to my death. You've been right all along. I won't tell you what to feel, that's not my place to be. I'm sorry for leaving you. I'm sorry for not telling you. I know if you knew what I have been planning all along, you would oppose it. I know you. I know you so much that I know you're only reading this after so much time has passed. Three months? Nine months? A year? Wow. You can resist me that much? I wasn't scared, Jongin. When I made the plan to deceive the enemy, I wasn't scared. But I was scared that the longer we stay in that camp, the lesser the chance that you will make it out alive. So I planned it and I cherished every moment I had with you. I'm sorry for being selfish. You can't do anything about it, now can you? Maybe I was wrong about always following my heart. It did lead me to death. But it also led me to you and I think that was enough reward that the universe can give me._

_I want you to live, Jongin. Please live for me. Go to places. Fall in love again. Annoy other people. Drive them crazy. Be you. Be you, my love._

_Are you watching the sunrise right now? It's beautiful, isn't it? I always wanted to see the sunrise. It's a sign of a new day, a new hope, a new beginning._

_Start another chapter, Jongin._

_See you in sunrise._

_Your love,_

_Kyungsoo_

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so sorry. The story was all over the place, wasn't it? I'm sorry. I really tried. It's so hard to write about stories like this.
> 
> To the prompter, I hope you liked what I did with your prompt. Trust me, I tried my best.
> 
> Thank you for reading and being patient with this story. It's my first time writing this kind of stories so it was both stressful and exhilarating for me.
> 
> See you in sunrise, comrades!


End file.
